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Jaguars could be fishing for a tackle with No. 2 draft pick

Their left tackle played at a more-than-effective level last year and is entering the final season of his contract.

There are pressing issues on a roster that needs a pass rusher, cornerback and quarterback.

And right tackle isn’t traditionally a must-have position at the top of the draft.

But as Thursday night’s first round approaches, it remains possible the Jaguars will take an offensive tackle with the No. 2 pick and — at least this year — play him on the right side opposite Eugene Monroe.

The hypothetical: Kansas City takes Texas A&M’s Luke Joeckel with the top pick, leaving Central Michigan’s Eric Fisher — one of the pre-draft season’s top stars — for the Jaguars to scoop up. Both players visited Jacksonville earlier this month.

For the first selection of general manager Dave Caldwell’s tenure, it would be a safe pick — an immediate starter instead of a pass rusher whose body of work doesn’t compare.

It would also make sense for a team that is undergoing a transformation.

It worked for San Francisco. Three years ago, the 49ers had Joe Staley as the left tackle but used two first-round picks to fortify the offensive line — right tackle Anthony Davis at No. 11 and guard Mike Iupati at No. 17. They became core players for the 2012 NFC champions.

The Jaguars’ theory could be that the best way to help Blaine Gabbert succeed or to make a newly drafted quarterback a success is by building a strong running game and being efficient in pass protection.

Caldwell has said he likes the depth of this offensive line class, but he might not be willing to risk finding a right tackle in the second round.

Joeckel, Fisher and Oklahoma’s Lane Johnson will likely be gone in the first 10 picks, which would leave teams scrambling to trade into the latter part of the first round to take D.J. Fluker, Menelik Watson and Terron Armstead.

If the Jaguars go tackle in the first round, they could still go quarterback and pass rusher — in either order — in rounds 2-3, assuming they don’t trade out of the No. 33 spot.

There is a drop-off after the top two tiers of tackles.

Guard hasn’t been a priority for teams in the first round, but it could be this year because of Alabama’s Chance Warmack and North Carolina’s Jonathan Cooper, two instant starters who could be selected in the top 20.

“If you look at the guard market over the last few years in free agency, it’s gone up for a reason,” St. Louis Rams general manager Les Snead said. “As you see the way teams play on defense, if your quarterback can step up in the pocket — it’s easier to step up and throw than to run around.”

The Jaguars have plenty of guards on the roster: Will Rackley, Uche Nwaneri, Austin Pasztor, Jason Spitz, Drew Nowak and Mike Brewster. They could pinpoint that position later in the draft or especially with an undrafted free agent.